


Two Out of Three Ain't Bad

by orphan_account



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Post-War, Romance, The Quidditch Pitch: Eternity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-01-11
Updated: 2006-01-11
Packaged: 2018-10-26 15:56:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10789851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Harry's too tired to fight about the same old thing - Ron.





	Two Out of Three Ain't Bad

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Annie, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Quidditch Pitch](http://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Quidditch_Pitch), which went offline in 2015 when the hosting expired, at a time I was not able to renew it. I contacted Open Doors, hoping to preserve the archive using an old backup, and began importing these works as an Open Doors-approved project in April 2017. Open Doors e-mailed all authors about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Quidditch Pitch collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/thequidditchpitch/profile).

  
Author's notes: This was inspired by Meatloaf's song [_Two Out of Three Ain't Bad_](http://s45.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1E948U8DVS6B82J2EETEGHJ10C) and the [Can't Fight This Feeling: The Power Ballad Challenge](http://www.livejournal.com/users/marginalia/621299.html). **_Inspired_** by because I signed up for it and this is what my muse wanted written and I don't think it is really challenge worthy. Since it is Harry with an OC (I was going to write it Draco, but I thought that was just too obvious)  
  


* * *

_Baby we can talk all night  
But that ain’t getting us nowhere  
I told you everything I possibly can  
There’s nothing left inside of here…_  
  
Sedated and sweaty, his arms shaky from the orgasm that had just rocked all of his senses, Harry pulled out of the man underneath him and collapsed on the bed, panting and wiping the sweat from the fringe hanging in his eyes.  
  
"Mmmm," his lover murmured, snuggling up against him. "That was… Mmmm - yeah."  
  
Harry stretched and wiggled his fingers and toes, attempting to get some of the feeling back in his limbs.  
  
"I love you."  
  
It had taken months and a conscious effort on Harry's part not to cringe when he heard those words.  
  
In response, he tenderly kissed the top of the brown hair nuzzled under his chin. "Yeah, that was incredible. It's always incredible."  
  
Disregarding the obvious discontent of the person that shared his bed, Harry rolled over, turning his back on the wounded face that was staring at him.  
  
"You're a right bastard! Do you know that?"  
  
"Yeah, so I've been told," answered Harry sarcastically.  
  
"This is getting real old, Harry."  
  
"Please, John," Harry begged with an edge of annoyance in his voice. "I'm tired. I don’t feel like getting into this right now."  
  
"Well, maybe _I_ do!"  
  
"Well, _I_ don't!" Harry snapped back.  
  
"Look at me!" demanded John, grabbing Harry's shoulder and yanking him around onto his back.  
  
Harry crossed his arms over his chest and stared defiantly back into the angry man's dark brown eyes.  
  
With a huff, John exited the bed and began to pace along the edge of it.  
  
"You're a bastard _and_ a liar!"  
  
"Fuck!" Harry smacked his hand on the empty spot next to him. "I've never lied to you! You knew from day one that –"  
  
"Right – right. I shouldn't expect too much from the famous Harry Potter who is _incapable_ of love. Isn't that right? Isn't that the bullshit you feed anyone that tries to get close to you?"  
  
"I'm not talking about this! We've talked about it hundreds of times and nothing is going to change."  
  
"I'm _sorry_ ," John said, sardonically. "I'm sorry for believing – _hoping_ that things would change. That you would –"  
  
Harry sat up, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. "What? That I would what?"  
  
"That you would _care_ more."  
  
 _I poured it on and I poured it out  
I tried to show you just how much I care  
I’m tired of words and I’m too hoarse to shout…_  
  
"Jesus, John, I do care about you," Harry said, grabbing his glasses from the nightstand and cleaning them on the edge of a pillowcase before putting them on. "How many times have I told you that?"  
  
"Ha!" John screamed. " _Tell me_! That's rich. You can't be honest with yourself and you are going to be honest with me!"  
  
"I've been here with you - for what? Nine months now. Doesn't that say something? It's the longest I've ever… I've been with someone. Isn't that enough to show that I want you?"  
  
"A year," John said softly.  
  
Harry twisted his torso around to face him. "Huh?"  
  
"It was a year. Last week. Wednesday to be exact."  
  
"Last Wednesday? Why didn't you say something? I would've –"  
  
"Would've what, Harry? You would've given up the night with Ron to spend it here with me?"  
  
 _Now_ , Harry remembered last Wednesday.  
  
"I – That was… We were celebrating. You know how long we were trying to chase down that wizard!"  
  
Looking exhausted, John flopped down on the bed.  
  
"It's not fair to me. I give you one hundred percent. And on your best day, I only get about fifty from you."  
  
 _And all I can do is keep on telling you  
I want you  
I need you  
But -- there ain’t no way I’m ever gonna love you  
Now don’t be sad  
’cause two out of three ain’t bad…_  
  
Harry fell backwards, collapsing defeated on the bed. Staring at the ceiling, he unsuccessfully tried to come up with the words to explain how he felt. He had said it all before - time and time again. He didn't feel any different now than the first time he had told John that he wanted to be with him, that he needed him. Harry could lie and tell him that it had turned into love, but it wouldn't change the fact that it didn't and never would. He couldn't love him, even if he wanted to and he _did_ want to. John was a good man – handsome, smart, charming and he loved Harry to pieces.  
  
"John," Harry said softly, climbing up on his knees and putting his arms around his lover's chest. "I don't want to hurt you. _Please_ , I've always been honest with you. I'm happy with you. I –"  
  
"This is your _happy_? Blimey, I'd hate to see your melancholy! Half the time you walk around here like a Inferius. The only time you have any kind of real spark is when you find out that you and Ron are going on one of your dandy Auror adventures."  
  
"Why are we talking about this - _again_? I've told you that I like coming home to you. I like the things we do together. I like falling asleep with you and waking up with you and –"  
  
" _Like_ , Harry. Do you hear yourself? I deserve more than like. I deserve love! I deserve more than what you are willing to give me," said John sadly.  
  
"You do. I won't deny that. But I don't want to lose you. I need you." Harry finished the best declaration of commitment that he could give by kissing the back of John's neck tenderly.  
  
 _I can’t lie  
I can’t tell you that I’m something I’m not  
No matter how I try  
I’ll never be able  
To give you something  
Something that I just haven’t got..._  
  
John tore himself from Harry's arms to stand again. "I want more than that."  
  
"It's not you. It's me. I can't –"  
  
"You _can_. You don't want to. There's a difference."  
  
"I _can't_! I think you're fantastic and if there were anybody in the world that I would want to – it'd be you. I just – just can't."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Why what?"  
  
"Why can't you? Was it a spell? Did Voldemort curse your heart before you killed him? Or is it because your heart is already filled with love for someone else?"  
  
"Stop being so melodramatic! There's no one in my heart."  
  
"Of course there is. I know it. Hermione knows it. The only two that don't seem to know it are you and Ron."  
  
"Ron!" Harry yelled. "We're back to _Ron_ again – are we? Why do you always bring him into this? Ron is not the reason that I am the way that I am. It's a lot much more complicated than that."  
  
"Please!" John shrieked. "Stop lying to yourself. You love him and you are never going to stop loving him until admit you that and then get him out of your life."  
  
Livid, Harry jumped out of bed. "That's what you're asking? You're asking me to not speak to Ron!" Harry poked John's chest, shocking him and sending him stumbling a few steps backwards. "You have no right! Ron has been by my side… Almost died for me – more than once… He – He –"  
  
Through narrowed eyes, John responded. "That's not what I am asking you to do! And even though you –" He poked Harry's chest with his index finger for emphasis. "- and I are _over_ , I love you so much – you arsehole – that I'm trying to talk some sense into you!"  
  
Standing there panting out of frustration, Harry glared at John, speechless.  
  
"You're hopeless, Harry," John said, throwing his hands up in the air. "No one can ever compete with Ron. Ever! You were honest with me and told me that you loved him once. Now be honest with yourself and admit that you can't just flip a switch on love and turn it off. You never stopped loving him. I mean, my god, look at you! Playing house with me every night and then spending everyday working with him, standing side by side, fighting the big bads with your _wands_. Fuck! It's so Freudian it's fucking pathetic!"  
  
 _There’s only one boy that I will ever love  
And that was so many years ago  
And though I know I’ll never get him out of my heart  
He never loved me back  
Ooh I know..._  
  
"I _did_ love him, but that was a long time ago. And –"  
  
"And you never told him. You never gave him the chance to either love you back or shoot you down. That's why you can't get over him. You won't love _me_. You won't ever love _anyone_ because you'll always hold on to a glimmer of hope that Ron does love you and you'll finally have your chance."  
  
"He – He doesn't love me… not like that. So, there is no chance. I'm here with you. I want to make this work – with _you_!"  
  
John sat down on the bed next to Harry, the springs in the old mattress creaking under his weight. Just yesterday they had talked about buying a new one this weekend. Harry wondered how everything had shifted so quickly.  
  
John looked at his hands as he spoke. "No, you really don't. I know you _think_ that you do. Harry, I love you. I fell in love with you the first night I met you. I've tried everything to get you to love me back. But I have to face reality. I can't go on like this… I want you to leave."  
  
"Leave?" Harry repeated incredulously.  
  
"This was _my_ place. I'll – I'll give you back your portion of this month's rent."  
  
"Keep it!" Harry snapped, standing up abruptly. "I'm going to sleep on the couch."  
  
"No," John whispered.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"No," John said more forcefully. "I want you to leave now – tonight."  
  
Harry glanced out the window. "Are you mad? It's snowing out there! It's the middle of the night!"  
  
Shrugging, John stood up. "I reckon that I _was_ mad. Mad for believing that you would change. I'm sure that I'm quite sane right now."  
  
"Fine!"  
  
Harry began searching for his overnight bag in the wardrobe. John reached under the bed and pulled it.  
  
Ripping it from his hands, Harry hissed, "Thank you!"  
  
After stuffing the small bag with a scattering of clothes he ripped from drawers, he dressed hurriedly.  
  
Without looking at John, he slung the bag over his shoulder and headed for the door.  
  
"I'll get the rest of my things while you are at work," he barked.  
  
"Harry," John said, his voice wobbly with second-guesses. "Where will you be staying?"  
  
Harry walked out of the bedroom without a response.  
  
There wasn't one needed.  
  
They both knew that he was going to Ron's.


End file.
